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Early Learning
Topic

Preschool

Preschool is any program designed to help 3- and 4-year-old children develop social, emotional and academic skills. Research shows that high-quality preschool programs can have a long-lasting positive effect. There’s an ongoing debate about whether large public programs can achieve the quality necessary to have a similar impact.
Child Care
May 3, 2023

Is the child care crisis escalating?

Maintaining a high quality of care is the bottom line, experts say. Simply expanding access to child care or lowering its costs is not enough to give children the head start they need.

Karen D'Souza
Literacy
April 6, 2023

The magic of story time: Why is reading aloud to kids so important?

Amid the escalating national literacy crisis, with its grim statistics and deeply entrenched ideological battles, this one is an easy fix, experts say. Read aloud to your children and students.

Karen D'Souza
Child Care
March 8, 2023

Are young boys of color set up to fail in early education?

Examining implicit bias, experts say, may be the key to making early education more equitable.

Karen D'Souza
School Finance
January 18, 2023

The right choices? Leaders, policymakers and experts react to Gov. Newsom's 2022-23 education budget

See what education leaders are saying about the governor’s plan to fund education in the coming year.

EdSource staff
Commentary
January 17, 2023

Reactions to the governor's early education budget proposals

Leaders representing all segments of California’s education system share their reactions to the governor’s 2023-24 January budget proposal for early education.

EdSource staff
Teacher Voices
November 23, 2022

Why I teach despite profession's modest compensation

Today, teaching is more than just a job; it’s my passion.

Margi Bhansali
Child Care
November 7, 2022

Inflation Reduction Act left children and families behind 

Rising costs, the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic and demand that exceeds supply have frayed an already fragile child care sector.

Ruth Fernández and Savitha Moorthy
Commentary
September 30, 2022

Let's nurture multilingualism in our youngest learners

Early childhood educators should support and celebrate the cultures, languages and circumstances of the children in their care.

Jonathan Nomachi
Child Care
July 27, 2022

Can infants learn math? State-backed pilot project in Fresno aims to find out

A statewide pilot project in California is aimed at boosting the confidence of early childhood educators, child care providers and elementary school teachers to teach math.

Ashleigh Panoo
Commentary
July 11, 2022

More teachers, outreach needed to support California's youngest English learners

California can create a national model for expanding educational opportunities for students and crafting groundbreaking policies that serve to properly identify and serve dual language students.

Patricia Lozano and Feliza Ortiz-Licon
Commentary
June 29, 2022

Child care access is key to pandemic recovery for California's children, working families

California must expand and support access to child care options even as transitional kindergarten rolls out.

Connie Leyva
Credentialing
June 17, 2022

California to create teaching credential covering pre-K through 3rd grade that requires literacy training

State commission hopes new credential will help attract thousands of teachers for transitional kindergarten; literacy advocates press for strong literacy standards.

John Fensterwald
Early Learning
February 15, 2022

California’s subsidized preschool program may expand to toddlers

Growing California's supply of toddler care options, particularly subsidized preschool, helps the state’s working families, experts say.

Karen D'Souza
Early Learning
November 23, 2021

Benefits of early math experiences add up

In kindergarten, some children already have a sense of what math means and how it functions while others lack a basic understanding of numbers.

Karen D'Souza
Transitional Kindergarten
October 13, 2021

What parents and teachers need to know about universal transitional kindergarten | Quick Guide

Universal transitional kindergarten will essentially become California’s version of a universal preschool program, available to all 4-year-olds regardless of income.

Karen D'Souza